


The talk

by MissSanguineOus



Category: Mairelon the Magician - Patricia Wrede, WREDE Patricia - Works
Genre: F/M, Kim wasn't the first one to realise she's in love, pining & brandy, prequel to chapter 18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 14:20:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10855779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSanguineOus/pseuds/MissSanguineOus
Summary: Lord Franton visits Mairelon to ask him a Very Important Question. Grudgingly, the wizard gives him the answer. Luckily for Richard Merrill, brandy doesn’t ask unwanted questions.





	The talk

Mairelon was in the middle of leafing through one of Andrew's books for the third time, when someone knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response.

„Yes?” he asked, much more sharply than he should.

It earned him a disapproving look from Aunt Agatha.

„Lord Franton is downstairs” she said in a slightly resentful tone. „He asked whether you can receive him now.”

„Franton?” Mairelon raised his eyebrows.

„Yes, Marquis of Harsfeld. I told him that you will speak with him in a few minutes.”

„Aunt” the magician said gently, trying to make up for his earlier discourtesy. „I...this really isn't the best time for receiving guests. I'm quite occupied.”

„I am well aware of that, Richard” said Mrs. Lowe calmly. „However I assure you that Lord Franton's business is of great significance and should be dealt with promptly.”

„So what is it he wants?” Richard frowned.

„I'll let the Marquis acquaint you with his matter” Mrs. Lowe headed towards the door „Just, please, do both of you and Kim a favour and be acquiescent towards his... possible request.”

„Kim? What does...”

But Mrs. Lowe was already gone and a few moments later Lord Franton entered the library.

„Good afternoon, Mr. Merrill” he said with a polite smile.

However, Mairelon noticed a slight tension in his voice.

„To you as well” he said cautiously „How may I be of service?”

Marquis of Harsfeld cleared his throat.

“Mr. Merrill, there is a matter of great importance and equally great urgency that I must discuss with you. I won’t take much of your time, I promise.”

Mairelon looked at him partially intrigued, partially suspicious.

Lord Franton took a deep breath.

“The reason I wanted to talk to you is… your ward. Miss Merrill.”

“Kim?” Richard studied Lord Franton carefully, trying to deduce what Marquis of Harsfeld could possibly want with Kim.

“I… uh, firstly, I’d like to mention that I have been fascinated with your ward for a long time, even before we were properly introduced.”

_Suspicious but not unexpected._

“Go on” Richard said, still frowning, still not sure where this was going.

“Under normal circumstances, I’d settle this matter with her parents, but due to the fact that they’re nowhere to be found, I decided to come to you, seeing as you’re the closest thing to a father that Miss Merrill has.”

Mairelon grimaced internally.  _Is that how people see me? As her father? I’m not that older than her._ He glanced at Franton.  _But, then again, he’s much younger than me and much closer to Kim’s age. So that probably makes me the_ father.  _Grandfather. Basically on his deathbed_ . The magician’s mood darkened. The thought of him being more of a father than anything else to Kim felt… improper. Uncomfortable. Unpleasant.

“And I’m aware that my… action may be viewed as, somehow, hurried, but I’d rather anyone did not forestall me, if you get my meaning.”

“I’m not sure I do, no” said Mairelon, shaking his head slowly.

_I’m absolutely positive I do not understand._

Lord Franton looked Richard in the eyes.

“Mr. Merrill, I would like to ask your permission to submit to Miss Merrill a proposal of marriage.”

Mairelon stared, his mind blank.

“Pardon me?” he uttered eventually.

“Mr. Merrill, I came to London this Season, urged by my family's persuasions to finally find a wife, settle down and take full responsibility of taking care of the family estate. It is now clear to me that it is your ward whom I’d be happy to bring home to my family and, in the future, address as 'Mrs. Franton'. Pardon my unchastity, Mr. Merrill, but I dare presume that you’d be very content seeing Miss Merrill living in wealth and happiness, which, I’m inclined to believe, I can give her.”

_SO CAN I!_

The thought caught Mairelon unaware and felt like a bucket of cold water. It came from nowhere.

_Did it though?_

Hoping that the shock did not appear on his face and wanting to prevent it from paralyzing him, Richard quickly asked:

“Did Kim gave you any, er, sort of hint as to what her possible answer may be?”

Lord Franton grinned. Reluctant though Mairelon suddenly felt towards him, he was forced to admit that there was no haughtiness in his smile. It was honest. True. Which made the magician dislike Lord Franton even more.

“I believe she did, yes. And I assure you, I wouldn’t have decided to submit this proposal had I not been certain of positive reception.”

Mairelon felt sick.

_How could I be so blind?_

Though ‘blind’ wasn’t really the right word.

He just had never presumed that anyone would want to marry Kim. She was smart, yes. Smart, shrewd, honest, witty... A perfect companion to burgle a house or to chase crazy old witches… But why would any of this matter to a  _toff_ ? A bloody  _marquis_ ?

She had no money, no expected inheritance, no wealthy relatives, for being a ward of the member of the Merrill family wasn’t enough to ensure her their fortune...

_She had been a thief, for God’s sake!_ And while it didn’t really matter to Richard or his mother or Renée… Richard knew that it surely did for majority of the ton. Her come-out ball and joining the Society being a roaring success made her merely  _interesting_ , but no altogether  _proper_ . Definitely not for a wife.

For all of those reasons, Mairelon was hoping…  _Dear God, was he hoping…_ that Kim would be safe from getting tangled in the sticky tentacles of the Society, but apparently he was only fooling himself.

Realizing that Lord Franton was still waiting for his answer, the magician said quickly:

“Well, if that’s the case, I believe I wouldn’t do Kim much of a favour denying your request, now would I?” he forced a smile.

Marquis’ face brightened making Richard grit his teeth.

“Then I have your permission?” he said cheerfully.

_No._

“Yes” Mairelon heard himself say.

“Thank you, Mr. Merrill!” Lord Franton exclaimed and then calmed down. “I am deeply grateful for your goodwill and I am convinced that so will be Miss Merrill.”

Richard smiled constrainedly, unable to produce a suitable answer. Luckily, Lord Franton wasn't expecting one. He thanked the magician once more, bid him goodbye and shown himself out.

Mairelon stood motionless for a couple of minutes staring dully at the bookshelf. Finally he forced himself to move, guessing that Aunt Agatha would probably want to ask him about the result of the meeting, something Richard really wasn't ready to go through right now, and locked the door to the library. He turned around, meaning to go back to the pile of books on the table and resume his fruitless search for any helpful information that Lord Franton interrupted. However, upon seeing the dolorous pile of useless tomes, he suddenly felt powerless and forlorn and instead to the table, he headed towards the cabinet next to the window. A cabinet which contained all the answers he could possibly desire right now.

He took a out a promisingly full cut-glass brandy decanter and one glass. Armed with those he sat in an armchair by the table and opened the carafe.

_Who could have seen this coming?_ Richard asked the decanter as he filled his glass.  _Aunt Agatha did. She told you about it yesterday morning._

Not about Franton.

_No, but about possible marriage proposals for Kim._

Richard sighed and drank.

What a lovely season it was.

First, he lost his magic. Probably forever, for now Richard realized that what little hope he had a couple of days ago was now almost completely gone. He wasn't any closer to finding a way to retrieve his magic than he was then.

Now he was about to lose Kim too. Without magic, what use was he to her? Or anyone?

He drank again and refilled his glass.

Surely Kim was thinking about it too. She knew she couldn't stay his ward forever and now, she was hardly even his  _apprentice_ . He could teach her the theory, sure. Mother could show her some practical Art as well, but that just wasn't enough.

Richard had been thinking about asking Renée to take Kim as her student. Actually, staying his  _ward_ and her  _apprentice_ would have been a perfect option.

But now a better one appeared.

Images of Kim with Lord Franton flowed into his head, forcing him to take a solid gulp of brandy and pour some more into the glass.

Yes, he did see them spending time together quite often for the past couple of days. But he hardly paid any attention to that fact, preoccupied with the burglary, Mannering, Madame de Cambriol's  _mémoire_ , finally his magic. Or rather the lack of it.

Mairelon snorted.

He earned it. He deserved it.

He drank.

Kim would have to choose between her teacher and...

_Choose? Why would you think she would have to choose? You can't even consider yourself an option, you half-brained simpleton._

That's right, he can't.

Richard asked the decanter for opinion once more. It proved to be a highly sympathetic companion.

He was no more than her teacher and guardian. Friend, maybe.

 _Father_ , said Lord Franton's voice in his head and Mairelon flinched.

Always busy with something else. Always focused on magic and burglars and  _livres de mémoire._ He couldn't remember ever showing her any more feeling then some mild and absentminded affection. He made his bed and now he has to lie in it

He didn't even give her anything to fall in love with.

“Love...” he muttered in a husky voice.

He finally said it. The Word.

He  _loved_ Kim.

And now, he was about to lose her. Just like his magic.

Everything was gone.

Well, not everything.

Mairelon looked at the decanter with affection. There was still a lot of brandy left. Enough to drown his sorrows or himself in it. Fantastic.

He sat in silence and darkness and deep in thought for a while. He couldn't say how much time passed, when he glimpsed a vague, light silhouette lurking in the entrance to the library.

It took Mairelon a couple of seconds to adjust his vision and recognise the person.

“Ah, Kim” he said “Come in and toast your good fortune!”


End file.
